Close Quarters is a pretty new sleaze/rock n roll act from Vadstena Sweden that recently released their second album ALWAYS A LOT, NEVER LITTLE which totally blew my mind the first time I heard it. I decided to take a closer look at the band and hooked up with guitarist KK and bass player Martin Hederberg in order to get to know a little more about the band and their past, present and future. The band have done more than 200 shows so far and have been support act to artists like Backyard Babies, Mustasch, Electric Boys and recently they opened for Tom Keifer in Stockholm. Close Quarters sure is the next big thing from Sweden so you better check out ALWAYS A LOT, NEVER A LITTLE which includes a co-written song with Nicke Borg from Backyard Babies as well as songs that feature appearances from Spike from The Quireboys and Pontus Snibb from Bonafide.

Vasby Rock Festival 2015
Vilundaparken

Upplands Vasby, Sweden
17-18/7 – 2015

Pictures and live review: Anders Sandvall

At the end of July it was once again time for the third annual edition of the Vasby Rock Festival. The festival is located inside the town of Vasby, Sweden, a suburb to the capitol Stockholm, at a soccer field. Bands like Astral Doors, Vasby Rock Allstars, Tygers Of Pan Tang, Eclipse, H.E.A.T,, Danger Danger, Michael Schenker’s Temple of Rock and W.A.S.P. performed. It was the first time I visited the festival and this is what happened during the two days of rock, fun, and sun. Read more….

Band leader / guitarist Markus Sigfridsson – Harmony

Interviewed by: Anders Sandvall

Thanks to Emil Westerdahl at Ulterium Records for setting up the interview, and to Ulterium Records for the promo pictures of the band

At the end of November last year Harmony unleashed their third album THEATRE OF REDEMPTION. The album is jammed with melodic metal and since I really got hooked by what I heard, I thought I should give band leader/guitarist Markus Sigfridsson a call. We hooked up and I had a lot of questions for Sigfridsson; we handled topics like the band’s past albums and why it has taken Harmony so long to follow up CHAPTER II: THE AFTERMATH from 2008. THEATRE OF REDEMPTION was mixed by the legendary Fredrik Nordström so I simply had to ask how it was to work with him. Parts of Harmony are also involved in the band Darkwater and I asked how the members handle being in two acts at once.

The Swedish death metal warriors Unleashed have been forging with the hammer and the anvil since 1989 and released a number of albums. The most recent album titled DAWN OF THE NINE being the 12th in a row is another death metal masterpiece showing no slowing down or wimping out. The four piece warrior squad have maintained and been the loyal to the deadly sounds. Unleashed’s s long time drummer Anders Schultz was approached with a few questions dealing with DAWN OF THE NINE.

Morbid Angel: 20th Anniversary Of Covenant European Tour 2014

Necrovation – support act

Kulturbolaget, Malmo, Sweden
18/12 – 2014

Live pictures and review by: Anders Sandvall

Morbid Angel is celebrating the 20th anniversary of their COVENANT album by playing the entire record from beginning to end at each show. Well actually it was 21 years ago the album came but who’s counting? I had been looking forward to seeing the show for quite a while and my expectations were set really high.

Guitarist Mats Karlsson and Thomas Drevin – 220 Volt

Interviewed by: Anders Sandvall
Thanks to Birgitt Schwanke at GerMusica Promotion & Management for help with setting up the interview.
Thanks to AOR Heaven for the promo pictures of the band.

220 Volt is a legendary metal band from Sweden that began their journey in the metal industry back in 1979. The band made its comeback in 2014 with the album WALKING IN STARLIGHT. I had the pleasure to talk to the two remaining original members in the band today – guitarist Mats Karlsson and Thomas Drevin. Besides talking about the brand new album and the comeback we also spoke about the turmoil in the past with members coming and going. If you like music in the veins of 80’s old school hard rock / metal, you surely will like 220 Volt and WALKING IN STARLIGHT.

Interview with Morbus Chron

Before embarking on a month of dates across Europe to promote their new album ‘Sweven’, along with Swiss black metal giants – Triptykon and fellow Swedes – At The Gates, we were able to chat to Morbus Chron on the opening night of the tour at the HMV forum in London.

Skid Row

@ The Underworld, Camden
28th October 2014

Review by Caitlin Smith

For a band with such a long history that have retained strong popularity 30 years on, it seems strange that Skid Row would be booked to play a venue as small as the London Underworld that evening. Any fan hoping to purchase a ticket on the door would have been severely disappointed with the gig long sold out. Perhaps it was the reputation of the first band, or maybe everyone was out to party that night as walking into the Underworld I was greeted to a packed out room, a rare sight on a school night.Read the rest of this entry »

Guitarist Emil Norberg and drummer Efraim Juntunen – Persuader

Interviewed by: Anders Sandvall

Thanks to Emil Westerdahl at Inner Wound Recordings for setting up the interview
Thanks to Inner Wound Recordings for the promo pictures of the band
Thanks to the Persuader for the additional promo pictures.

From the northern parts of Sweden comes the power metal kings, Persuader. The band is back to attack after a long break. Their previous album WHEN EDEN BURNS came out in 2006 and they are now back with a vengeance with the brand new opus THE FICTION MAZE. I was blown away by THE FICTION MAZE and urge everyone who is a fan of well played, edgy power metal to check out the album. Persuader makes me glad to be Swedish! I had the luck to have a chat with guitarist Emil Norberg and drummer Efraim Juntunen where we talked about the brand new album, what the band has been up to in between releases, as well as what the guys think the future has in store for Persuader. Enjoy!

Guitarist Daniel Dante – Madness Of the Night

Interviewed by: Anders Sandvall

Thanks to Tom Hack for setting up the interview.
Thanks to Massacre Records for providing the promo pics.

Madness Of the Night is a Swedish goth/dark wave duo that released their debut album THE ASGARDA in November 2013. Since the duo have a bit of an unusual background I thought it would be nice to learn a bit more about them and their music. I hooked up with Daniel Dante former members of the Swedish gothmetal act Soulgrinder, and here is what he had to say.Read the rest of this entry »